This invention relates to the storage and dispensing of materials and, more particularly, to a cover for a container which together with the container provides a compartmental receptacle in which ingredients of a mixture may be kept separate from each other and thereafter mixed within the container and dispensed as desired.
The container cap of this invention may be utilized with any container having a neck and closure cap of appropriate size and attachment of the container cap of this invention to such container will provide a compartmental dispensing receptacle which is primarily intended to store infant's food in which a pre-measured amount of baby formula or milk in powdered form may be contained in a compartment formed in the container cap, and a pre-measured amount of a suitable diluent, usually water, may be contained in the container, which may be a conventional nursing bottle. Thus, the container cap in combination with a conventional nursing bottle provides a convenient travel container for a baby's meal away from home, eliminating the need to carry a bulky container of baby formula and measuring scoop in the usually already overcrowded diaper bag.
Heretofore, numerous compartmental receptacles have been proposed and utilized, but a majority of these required a special container or receptacle and did not suggest an attachment which might be used with a conventional container, such as a conventional nursing bottle having a nipple sealed to the bottle with a threaded cap. Furthermore, these prior art compartmental receptacles did not include a dispensing means, such as a nipple, and after mixing of the ingredients it was necessary to either transfer the mixture to a special nursing bottle or apply a nipple or other dispensing means to the compartmental receptacle. In the present invention, the cap attachment, in addition to providing a food-storing compartment, includes a protective shield for the nipple, whereby the nipple may be presterilized so as to make the travel container ready for mixing and dispensing upon demand.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a cap for a container which may be utilized in connection with a conventional container to provide a compartmental dispensing receptacle.
Another object of the invention is to provide an attachment for a container which provides a compartmental dispensing receptacle having two compartments for containing respective ingredients to be mixed and in which the ingredient stored in a compartment formed in such attachment is poured into the container for mixing with the ingredient stored therein.
A more specific object of the invention is to provide a cap for attachment to the nipple cap of a baby's nursing bottle which has a compartment therein for storing a pre-measured amount of powdered baby formula to be mixed when desired with a liquid ingredient stored in the bottle and also shields the nipple secured by the nipple cap.
Another object of the invention is to provide a cap for a baby's nursing bottle which may be economically and conveniently manufactured from readily available materials.